A Loose Cultivator's Path to Longevity-Chapter 89 - 88: Explosive Pill
Ten days passed in the blink of an eye.
Before the sky had brightened, Lü Zhong left early to meet up with Bai Xiaohan.
Many people were already on the streets. Those who couldn’t afford Storage Bags were burdened with packs of all sizes. The Loose Cultivators who could afford one had an easier time, but they still had plenty to carry. After all, a Qi Refining Independent Cultivator could hardly afford a large-capacity Storage Bag.
But regardless of their situation, every person’s face was etched with worry.
At the thought of facing the vicious and wicked Evil Cultivators, some of the more fragile-minded Loose Cultivators even began to sob quietly. They had never expected to be conscripted for the battlefield. If their luck was even slightly bad during a battle, they feared their lives would be forfeit.
Seeing these people, Lü Zhong was reminded of Huang Shuyuan, who was in the same predicament.
Fortunately, as a Talisman Maker, she would receive preferential treatment. She also had three Golden Light Talismans and a Protective Secret Talisman for self-defense. He estimated her chances of survival weren’t too low.
’Forget it. I should worry about myself first.’
The post Bai Xiaohan had secured was only relatively safe; there was still a risk of combat with Evil Cultivators. If he wasn’t completely on guard, he might be the one to die on the battlefield.
Passing these people, Lü Zhong arrived at the meeting point.
He didn’t expect Bai Xiaohan to already be waiting. Standing next to her was a Female Cultivator in the uniform of a Golden Rainbow Sect disciple. She carried a massive Sword Box on her back, and the aura she exuded had already reached Late-stage Qi Refining.
The woman’s figure was unremarkable, but her temperament was somewhat transcendent. She sized Lü Zhong up with an impatient gaze and said coldly, "Is this the helper you mentioned?"
"Steward Fang, this is him. Fellow Daoist Lü," Bai Xiaohan quickly replied from the side.
The Female Cultivator, who had been wearing an impatient expression, unexpectedly softened her features upon hearing his name. "So you’re Lü Zhong?" she asked in surprise.
Lü Zhong cupped his hands and replied, neither servile nor overbearing, "My surname is indeed Lü, with the given name Zhong."
He couldn’t understand the reason for Steward Fang’s change in attitude.
After thinking it over, he could only guess it had something to do with Li Yuanfeng.
Watching from the side, Bai Xiaohan’s expression turned to one of astonishment. She couldn’t help but glance at Lü Zhong with great interest. For his name alone to cause such a change in Steward Fang’s attitude, it seemed he was hiding quite a few secrets.
’Interesting...’ she thought to herself.
"Very good. Let’s go then." Steward Fang’s tone was no longer as cold as before. She released a leaf-shaped Magical Artifact and gestured with her hand. "Get on. We aren’t traveling with the main force. We need to hurry to a different assembly point."
"Yes," Lü Zhong responded, stepping onto the leaf-shaped Magical Artifact.
At the same time, he was surprised, thinking, ’Could this be a Flying Magical Artifact?’
’As expected of a Sect Disciple, to be able to afford even an expensive Flying Magical Artifact.’
At first, the leaf-shaped Magical Artifact flew slowly. But under Steward Fang’s guidance, it quickly condensed a Wind-Avoiding Shield, and its speed increased dramatically, soaring swiftly toward the northwest.
Lü Zhong estimated that the Magical Artifact’s speed was truly impressive. It surpassed his own top sprinting speed, reaching four hundred li per ancient hour, and this wasn’t even its maximum velocity.
If pushed to its full potential, it could probably go even faster.
’It’s great to have Spirit Stones!’ Lü Zhong thought. ’When I have enough Spirit Stones, I’ll definitely buy a Flying Magical Artifact too.’
’Practicality aside, the mere thought of being able to fly through the sky was thrilling enough.’
The scenery along the way changed constantly. At first, they could still see mortal villages, but soon the Yanling Mountain Market disappeared from view behind them. Gradually, even the rolling hills vanished, replaced by steep mountain peaks.
After only three ancient hours, the trio arrived at their destination.
...
Inside a hidden Array, the rich aroma of medicinal herbs filled the air.
Lü Zhong added a piece of firewood to the furnace, making the flames in the Alchemy Furnace burn more fiercely. He never thought he’d end up here as a Fire Burning Boy, helping the Alchemist Bai Xiaohan refine a Secret Pill.
There were a total of ten such two-person teams like theirs within the Array.
Lü Zhong had no idea what the purpose of the Pill he was helping to refine was, but judging by the importance the Golden Rainbow Sect placed on this Secret Pill, it had to be something extraordinary.
’But was it really necessary to come all the way out to a godforsaken place like this to refine it?’
’Besides, this kind of work didn’t require a Mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator.’
’Honestly, Lü Zhong couldn’t understand the Golden Rainbow Sect’s intentions at all.’
He stopped overthinking it and diligently performed his duties.
The duties of a Fire Burning Boy were, frankly, quite tedious.
He only needed to add firewood every ancient hour to ensure the flames of the Alchemy Furnace never died out.
The heat control was handled entirely by Bai Xiaohan. The Alchemy Furnace had a mechanism to adjust the flame’s intensity, and she would cast different Technique Mantras into it based on the Secret Pill’s refining status, thereby controlling the furnace’s operation.
At first glance, it seemed similar to controlling a Magical Artifact.
The difference was that controlling an Alchemy Furnace was far more complex, with a level of intricacy that nearly surpassed that of executing a Sword Skill with hand seals.
The first day, the second day...
Time flew by so quickly that Lü Zhong almost forgot he had been conscripted.
It wasn’t until the fifth day that Steward Fang appeared, reeking of blood, to ask about the Secret Pill’s refining progress.
After she took away the three teams that had failed in their refining, everything returned to normal.
On the tenth day, the Secret Pill was finally refined.
Only three teams had succeeded this time. Steward Fang descended on a Flying Ship, took the three teams and their Pill Furnaces with her, and flew off toward the northwest with the speed of a lightning storm.
They had been flying for less than half a quarter-hour when the scent of blood began to drift through the air.
Below them, the sounds of battle cried out ceaselessly. Flashes of Spiritual Light from Magic Skills flickered occasionally, punctuated by the BOOMING sounds of explosions.
Lü Zhong knew he was flying over a war zone.
Strangely, however, the Flying Ship remained stationary, quietly waiting for something.
As time passed, the cries of battle gradually faded.
He didn’t need to think to know that the Golden Rainbow Sect’s side must have won. The only question was the number of Loose Cultivator casualties.
Finally, a strange phenomenon suddenly appeared.
Down below, the once-verdant valley was instantly flooded with a vast amount of black mist, which spread madly in all directions.
Just then, Steward Fang gave the order: "Throw the Alchemy Furnaces down."
’Did I hear that right?’
’An Alchemy Furnace worth nearly a thousand Spirit Stones, just thrown away like that!’
Lü Zhong found it hard to believe, but he immediately complied.
Thanks to his Spiritual Universe Dharma Body, he lifted the several-thousand-jin Alchemy Furnace with ease. Following Steward Fang’s order, he tossed it to the ground below, not caring in the least whether it might hit someone.
The other two teams did the same, tossing their Alchemy Furnaces down one after another.
Lü Zhong then noticed that Bai Xiaohan, for some unknown reason, wore an expression of anticipation.
Before he could speak, three loud explosions rang out.
Leaning over the ship’s rail to look down, he witnessed an unexpected scene. A large amount of green smoke billowed out from the exploded Pill Furnaces, and upon contact with the black mist, it caused the mist to dissipate rapidly.
That black mist had clearly been released by the Evil Cultivators of Ghost Cloud Valley.
Judging by the screams coming from below, it was definitely not a good thing.
But the Golden Rainbow Sect had long anticipated this and had prepared a countermeasure.
Bai Xiaohan called it: Explosive Pill.
